Here is a sturdy twin bed for my granddaughter. The bottom of the rails are 16 inches above the floor to allow storage containers to be stored underneath. The headboard has an insert which can be changed out she grows older and her tastes mature.I started with the corner posts. The mortises are for the foot board and the headboard frame.Here you can see the dados for 1/2 inch birch plywood that is placed in the headboard frame. It provides a backing for removable inserts. The legs have a 8-1/2 inch taper.I used bed rail hardware from Rockler to allow the bed to be disassembled and moved. To make the installation of the hardware easy, I constructed router jigs. I used a cutoff from one of the bed rails to make a frame which allows the jig to fit over the end of the rail. On the other side, I laid out a slot the width of the router bushing to cut the recess for hook portion of the rail hardware.I make two similar jig for the posts. One for the recess of the female hardware component, and the other to cut the slots in which the male hooks from the rail would reside.Here is the basic frame assembled. The hooks are tapered and tighten up as they engage. I was very impressed at how sturdy the frame was.I added supports to the rails and footboard on which the 1/2 inch plywood bottom would rest. The top of the bottom lower rail on the headboard provides the support on that end of the bed. I used 4/4 oak cross supports that fit into the notches on the rail sides. As you can see, they easily support my weight with minimal deflection. I attached the oak strips to the bottom of the plywood bottom with glue and screws to further increase the rigidity of the plywood.Here you can see the plywood bottom inserted. I finished it with two coats of polyurethane so the mattress and sheets would not snag.Here the headboard insert has been installed inside the perimeter of the headboard. It is 5-mm plywood on which Nana painted a scene favored by little girls. It is held in place with two small screws in-obtrusively placed within the painting. As mentioned above, this can be replaced at some time in the future to meet the tastes of the growing child.
